Gliederung

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of sinomenine,an an alkaloid extracted from sinomenium acutum on allergic rhinitis （AR）in mice. For this investigation, 4 to 6 weeks old BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and alum, and challenged intranasally with OVA. SIN were orally administered daily commencing since the challenged intranasally day, over a period of 7 days (from day21 to day28).Multiple parameters of allergic responses were evaluated to determine the effects of SIN, including measurement of proliferative responses of antibody levels in serum, cytokine assays and others. Anti-OVA IgE and IL-4 as those of Th2 responses and IFN-γ were measured as indicators of Th1 immune responses. Additionally, the expression of the regulatory T cell, foxp3, was detected by western blot. The results showed that treatment with SIN reduced allergic symptoms and eosinophilic inﬁltration into the nasal mucosa. It also suppressed total and OVA-speciﬁc IgE levels, and inhibited systemic Th2 cytokine as well as Th1 cytokine and production by serum. Furthermore, the expression of Foxp3, transcription factor of Treg, in the nasal mucosa was enhanced in the SIN-treated group when compared to the nontreated group. This study shows that the SIN induces anti-allergic effects by decreasing Th2 cytokine production, total and OVA-speciﬁc IgE levels, and eosinophil inﬁltration into the nasal mucosa in an allergic rhinitis model. At the same time , SIN enhanced the expression of Foxp3,the transcription factor of Treg cell. Therefore, SIN should be considered as a potential agent in treating allergic rhinitis and the mechanism on treatment may rely on the contribution of Treg cells to the suppression of Th2 as well as Th1 immune responses.